Have you heard of miraDry? Here in Idaho Falls, it’s one of our favorite options for reducing excessive sweating, but it’s a bit overlooked here at my practice. And although treating your excessive sweating might not be at the forefront of your mind in the winter months, it’s actually a great time to undergo the procedure if you want to feel dry and confident once the warmer months come around.
Sweating is a normal function of the human body, and an important one too. Sweat doesn’t just stain your clothes and make your palms moist. It also acts as a thermoregulator, cooling us down when we overheat. Sweating is important and healthy, but sweating too much or too often can be embarrassing, especially when it doesn’t respond to high-strength antiperspirants or lifestyle adjustments.
miraDry isn’t a topical product or an injection. Instead, it uses carefully targeted electromagnetic energy to “deactivate” sweat glands. Although sweating is important to help your body manage its temperature, the average person has about 2 million sweat glands from head to toe. Turning off a few hundred under the arms won’t damage your body’s ability to keep itself cool.
Excessive sweating can be a nuisance or an actual, diagnosed medical condition called hyperhidrosis. While miraDry is popular with patients who have hyperhidrosis, it’s not necessary to have a diagnosis in order to pursue treatment. The procedure is well-tolerated enough by most patients that it’s appropriate for nearly anyone who wants to reduce their amount of sweating.
When you come in for your miraDry appointment, your provider (whether it’s me or a member of my medical staff) first uses a topical product to numb your treatment area (most often your armpits) before beginning the treatment. He or she uses the miraDry handpiece to direct electromagnetic energy to your sweat glands by simply passing it over your skin. You might feel a sensation of warmth or prickling during this time, but the miraDry procedure is not a painful experience. The device’s cooling functionality further enhances your comfort and minimize any sensations of burning.
After your treatment, which lasts less than an hour, you can go back to your normal daily routine immediately, with no need to take the day off from work or avoid the gym. The procedure is relatively low risk, but you should anticipate localized inflammation in your treated area for a couple of days afterward.
You’ll likely notice an immediate reduction in the amount you sweat as soon as your treatment is over, but most of our patients respond best to a short series of 2 treatments, spaced a few weeks apart.
Don’t spend another summer embarrassed by wet underarms and stained clothes. Plan ahead and talk to us about miraDry today!
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